My sister started dating a wealthy young heir, but their romance was brutally crushed by his older brother. That brother looked down on us, calling my sister a gold digger and a "pick-me girl." I was so furious that I created a fake account to catfish him, intending to teach him the pain of unrequited love. After six months of online dating, this uptight, old-fashioned man was calling me "baby" and asking to meet up. I laughed coldly, blocked him, and disappeared. I thought we would never cross paths again. But as fate would have it, my sister ended up marrying the heir anyway. At the wedding reception, I heard a familiar voice and was too scared to lift my head. Then I saw my sister and her husband walk over and call that man "Uncle." Uncle? I was so shocked I dropped my chopsticks. 1 I ducked under the table to pick up my chopsticks, using the tablecloth to hide my horrified expression. How could he be the uncle? That voice was unmistakably the man I had catfished for six months—Adrian Thorne. Six months ago, my sister brought her boyfriend, Leo Thorne, home to meet the family. But Leo’s older brother, Adrian, intervened and broke them up. This guy was obsessed with controlling his brother's life. He claimed my sister wasn't good enough for Leo, calling her a gold digger who was only after the Thorne family fortune. My sister came home crying her eyes out and broke up with Leo. I couldn't stand seeing her like that. So, Adrian Thorne, the "bro-con," dared to insult my sister? I decided to teach him a lesson. I created a fake persona—a girl selling artisanal tea online—and got Adrian's contact info. I messaged him every day, playing the long game. Adrian was a tough nut to crack—a total prude at first. But eventually, he fell for my charms, calling me "baby" and sharing his deepest thoughts. Until recently, when he asked to meet in person. I gave him a sob story about being insecure and unworthy of him. Adrian insisted he didn't care about looks or status; he just loved me. Ironically, when it came to his brother Leo, he demanded a match of equal status. But for himself? Love was all that mattered. The hypocrisy! He was clearly targeting my sister. Enraged, I insulted him, blocked him, and vanished. I thought the prank was over. Adrian got his heart broken, and we were even. Who knew that Leo and my sister would get back together and actually get married? I was at the wedding, sitting at the main table for the bride's family. Next to us was the groom's family table. Since I sat down, I hadn't dared to look up or glance around. I even feigned a sore throat to avoid speaking. I had sent Adrian photos before, but they were heavily edited—smaller face, bigger eyes, taller nose. As long as I kept my mouth shut, looking at that face that even my sister wouldn't recognize, he surely wouldn't know it was me. Trembling, I waited as the wedding moved to the reception phase. The bride and groom were going table to table for toasts. "Wishing you a lifetime of happiness." Hearing that familiar deep voice, I almost buried my face in my soup bowl. My sister and Leo both called him "Uncle"! No, no, something must be wrong. maybe I heard it wrong? Once they moved on, I glanced sideways. I only saw the man's back. He was in a sharp suit, expensive watch, his back straight, radiating a dark, intense aura. After the toast, an elder at the table teased him. "Your nephew is married. When do you plan to settle down?" "Don't bring it up," a young man next to him whispered sympathetically. "Uncle Julian finally opened his heart, but it turned out to be a catfisher selling tea. She blocked him, and he's still fuming..." "Ethan." The man at the head of the table spoke, his voice laced with displeasure, warning him to stop. Wait... Julian? I turned my head, cold sweat dripping down my back. This man... wasn't Adrian Thorne. Tonight was a family dinner for the Thornes. My sister had given me photos beforehand to memorize the key family members. My despair peaked. I catfished the wrong guy! 2 During our six-month "relationship," "Adrian" (who was actually Julian) had sent me countless voice notes. Towards the end, he wanted to be on the phone constantly, even while sleeping. I would recognize that voice even as a ghost. Seeing the opportunity to break his heart, I told him I fell for someone else—a new boyfriend who was much better. I called him old. I said he probably smelled like mothballs. I called him ugly—that’s why I never video chatted. I said his muscles looked like he chugged protein powder. And! I told him he was... small. I felt great after the tirade, then blocked him and ran. My face went pale as I recalled this. I was doomed. Not only did my revenge fail, but I also dragged my sister into this mess. My sister told me the Thornes were old money. The patriarch had three sons, but the favorite was the youngest, Julian Thorne. He was the current CEO of Thorne Enterprises, holding immense power in the family. If he found out I was the one who humiliated him, my sister's life in the Thorne family would be hell! I was pacing anxiously but couldn't tell my sister. I did this behind her back. Plus, knowing wouldn't help. She might give it away. Since our parents died, my sister and I relied on each other in foster care. We refused to be separated. She was so good to me. Now she was a university professor with a good marriage. I couldn't ruin this for her. Julian Thorne absolutely could not find out it was me. At the dinner, I finally saw Julian's face clearly. One word: Hot. Two words: Extremely Hot. I had toyed with such a gorgeous man and turned him into an enemy. I just hoped he wouldn't recognize me. I played the mute, obedient girl. Julian's cold gaze swept over me once, then moved on. He didn't recognize me. I sighed in relief and sat down, keeping my head low. Since I was the bride's only relative, Leo’s family was quite interested in me. "Have you found an internship yet?" Leo’s mom asked. "Do you want to come to Thorne Enterprises?" Thorne Enterprises? That was Julian's company. No, no way! But Leo’s mom was staring at me warmly. I couldn't signal my sister. I opened my mouth, almost forgetting my "mute" persona. "Sure," my sister answered for me, smiling. "Thank you, Mom." NO! This was walking right into the lion's den! At the table, CEO Julian Thorne watched silently, tacitly approving. After dinner, I wiped the sweat from my forehead. I decided to avoid the Thornes as much as possible. Before leaving, my sister pulled me aside. "You were acting weird today. What's wrong?" I waved my hand, texting her that I just felt sick. She was relieved and told me to rest. I managed to fool her. But the tricky part was the internship. Thorne Enterprises was an industry giant. An internship there was gold on a resume. If Julian wasn't involved, I'd go in a heartbeat. But if he recognized me... After agonizing for days, I made up my mind. It was just a three-month internship. Thorne Enterprises was huge. How could a lowly intern run into the CEO? I just needed to survive three months, then disappear. 3 It’s easy when you know people inside. I got in quickly. I was nervous for the first few days. But as I predicted, an intern only dealt with their mentor. The highest-ranking person I saw was the department manager. Let alone the CEO, I didn't even see the General Manager. I relaxed. However, working at a top firm wasn't easy. The workload was insane. My proposals kept getting rejected. The department head was constantly yelling. The atmosphere was tense. In the cafeteria, my lunch buddy whispered gossip. "Do you know why it's been so tough lately?" He was an intern from my batch. "Why?" I asked, curious. "Because..." He looked around and lowered his voice. "The CEO got dumped." My spoon clattered onto my plate. "Really?" "Yeah. Online dating. He got scammed." I drank my soup, hiding my face. "Where did you hear that?" "The CEO had his assistant investigate an account. Word spread. Everyone knows." My buddy looked puzzled. "With his status, he could have anyone. Why online date? And get scammed? If the girl knew who he was, she'd regret it for life." Yeah, I was regretting it! I blamed myself for not being careful. I meant to find Adrian, but got this titan instead. I asked cautiously, "Did the assistant say what the CEO plans to do if he finds her?" "Call the police, obviously. That tea girl must have swindled a lot of money. It's enough for a prison sentence." That was nonsense! I admitted my motives weren't pure. I pretended to sell tea to annoy him. But my friend's family actually sold tea. Julian insisted on buying it, paying ten times the price. Aside from that, I returned every cent he gave me when we "broke up." I told him my new boyfriend was possessive and wouldn't let me spend another man's money. Although the Thornes were rich, I was terrified Adrian (who I thought it was) would sue me over the money. I just wanted to break his heart. Ideally, since I deleted the account, Julian shouldn't be able to trace me. Just survive three months... "Stella, take this file to the CEO's office." I took the folder from my senior colleague, wanting to cry. Why was there always a hurdle! In the elevator to the top floor, I psyched myself up. Just dropping off a file. Easy. Keep playing mute. I arrived terrified, but the office was empty. Julian wasn't there. His secretary asked which department I was from. Since he wasn't there, I didn't need to be mute. I answered, she logged it, and I was free. After a few times, I relaxed. Once again, I went to drop off a file. I greeted the secretaries and heard a familiar voice from the inner office. "Let her in." Me: "..." Heart in my throat, I walked in like I was marching to my execution. I placed the file on the desk. Julian extended a hand—long fingers, well-defined knuckles—and took it. He started reading without a word. Seconds ticked by. I calmed down a bit and peeked up. I met his upturned phoenix eyes and quickly looked down. After a suffocating silence, Julian asked, "How is it going at the company?" I had just spoken to the secretaries outside. I couldn't play mute! I squeezed my voice, whispering, "It's good." I glanced up and added, "Mr. Thorne." "Good?" Julian chuckled coldly. "You're here delivering files because everyone knows about our relationship. You call that 'good'?" What relationship? Don't spread rumors! I panicked and forgot to squeeze my voice. "What relationship do we have..." Before I finished, I realized he meant my connection to my sister and Leo. "Hehe." I recovered. "I didn't tell anyone..." I barely got in as a nepo baby; I wanted to keep it low profile. But apparently, they sent me to deliver files because they knew I was connected, hoping I'd shield them from his temper. Julian frowned slightly, studying me. "Call your manager up here." I fled like I’d been pardoned. I don't know what Julian told the manager, but no one sent me to deliver files again. Another crisis averted! 4 On my last shift before the holiday, I was thinking about dinner while waiting for the elevator. Ding. The doors opened. I looked up and saw Julian in a suit. What?? Why was he taking the employee elevator instead of his private one? Julian stared at me. "Not getting in?" I stepped in stiffly. The doors closed. We continued down. The tall man next to me made the cramped space feel tiny. A pleasant scent filled my nose—his cologne. Memories of the scandalous photos he sent me surfaced. First, hands and arms. Then, chest and abs. Then... I recalled his voice asking, "Do you like what you see?" My face burned. The oxygen in the elevator felt thin. Why was this elevator so slow? "Stella." "Hmm?" I instinctively responded, turning to meet Julian's probing gaze. He squinted. "You seem... afraid of me?" "I..." I tried to be calm. "You're the boss, and an elder. I... respect you." Beside me, Julian said coolly, "Then don't look like you have a guilty conscience." "We haven't met before, have we?" My back felt hot, goosebumps rising. "No, never." "Oh." Julian responded indifferently, as if asking casually. Ding. The elevator stopped. A crowd poured in. Good news: I wasn't alone with Julian anymore. Bad news: I was shoved into the corner, pressed against him. Why was the universe torturing me? I cursed the person who gave me the wrong number a thousand times. Finally, the ground floor. "Goodbye, Mr. Thorne." The crowd dispersed. I tried to slip away. I took two steps and felt a sharp tug on my scalp. I turned around. My hair was tangled in Julian's suit button! Kill me now! My face was stiff. Nothing could shock me anymore. I stood close, untangling my hair from his button. Luckily, it was just a snag, not a knot. I felt a gaze I couldn't ignore. I looked up. Julian's eyes were lowered, his cold gaze resting quietly on my collarbone. In the struggle, my collar had shifted, revealing some skin. There, sat a small red mole. It was visible in the photos I had sent him.
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